Headless Specter MTG Card
2019-06-14 - Number 95
2019-06-05 - Number 44
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Specter |
| Abilities | Flying,Hellbent |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Flying Hellbent — Whenever Headless Specter deals combat damage to a player, if you have no cards in hand, that player discards a card at random.
No tongue to chant, yet the forsaken hymn still emanates from its body.
Cards like Headless Specter
Headless Specter brings a unique flair to Magic: The Gathering’s roster of creatures. It bears similarity to Hypnotic Specter, a familiar figure that also pries into opponent’s hands, discarding cards at random when dealing damage. However, Headless Specter comes with the added advantage of Hellbent, amplifying its ability if you have no cards in hand. This is unlike Hypnotic Specter’s constant effect, irrespective of hand size.
Liliana’s Specter enters the stage as another variant with a similar disruptive impact. Instead of random discard triggered by damage, it guarantees a card discard when it enters the battlefield. Not contingent on Hellbent, it offers a more immediate but less recurrent effect. Compared to Headless Specter, Liliana’s Specter gives you a one-time sure hit whereas Headless Specter can potentially provide a continuous threat.
While evaluating comparable options, Headless Specter stands out with its potential to unsettle opponents turn after turn under the right conditions. In the grand tableau of MTG creatures that interfere with hand resources, Headless Specter showcases a competitive edge by leveraging the Hellbent mechanic.
Cards similar to Headless Specter by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Headless Specter excels in disrupting your opponent’s hand while giving you the upper hand. Each successful hit forces a discard, potentially stripping vital resources from your adversary and edging you towards card dominance on the board.
Resource Acceleration: This specter fits seamlessly into decks focused on swift mana development. Its low cost allows for an early game presence, which in turn paves the way for playing high-impact spells sooner, effectively ramping up your offensive capabilities.
Instant Speed: The inherent advantage of Headless Specter’s Hellbent ability can be activated at instant speed, offering surprise tactical plays. The ability to force a discard at a moment’s notice keeps opponents on their toes and can disrupt their strategies at critical junctures.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Headless Specter requires your opponent to have exactly one card in hand to trigger its ability. This condition can be challenging to meet, especially if you’re not consistently forcing your opponent to discard cards throughout the game.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two black mana symbols, Headless Specter can be difficult to play in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary black mana sources available at the right time.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a three mana value, this card competes for a deck slot with lower-cost creatures offering more immediate board presence or with higher-cost creatures that provide greater impact. This can make the Specter a less appealing choice in tightly optimized deck lists.
Reasons to Include Headless Specter in Your Collection
Versatility: The Headless Specter is a flexible addition to decks that capitalize on discard mechanics. Its ability to fit seamlessly into both aggressive and control strategies makes it a functional choice for various game plans.
Combo Potential: With its discard-triggered ability, it can work effectively within synergistic strategies. It can activate various effects from cards that benefit whenever an opponent discards, bolstering its strategic value.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where hand disruption is key to unsettling opponents’ strategies, Headless Specter’s presence can be particularly impactful, disrupting opponents while developing your board presence.
How to beat
The Headless Specter presents an eerie challenge on the battlefield with its haunting capabilities in MTG. This flying fiend becomes a real problem for opponents once you achieve the threshold condition, giving it the power to potentially strip a card from your opponent’s hand every time it attacks. Despite its intimidating presence, overcoming this specter boils down to disrupting its momentum before threshold is met.
Strategically, keeping your graveyard count low can be effective, whether through the use of spells that exile cards from graveyards or by deploying creatures with abilities to consume or shuffle graveyard contents back into the library. Efficient creature removal is equally crucial, utilizing spot removal or board wipes to ensure the Headless Specter never reaches its full potential. Moreover, denying your opponent the chance to chip away at your hand will mitigate the specter’s overall impact, preserving your resources to eventually overpower it.
In essence, mitigating the effect of the Headless Specter in MTG requires a keen sense of timing, resource management, and a bit of foresight, allowing you to navigate past the horror it can inflict and secure your position in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Headless Specter // Headless Specter MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons Art Series and Modern Horizons, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Headless Specter // Headless Specter and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Headless Specter // Headless Specter Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-06-14 and 2019-06-14. Illustrated by Anastasia Ovchinnikova.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modern Horizons Art Series | AMH1 | 44 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Anastasia Ovchinnikova | ||
| 2 | 2019-06-14 | Modern Horizons | MH1 | 95 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anastasia Ovchinnikova |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Headless Specter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |